The present disclosure relates to the field of mining machines and particularly to a trapping shoe for a longwall shearer mining machine.
Conventional longwall shearers include a frame and a pair of cutting assemblies mounted on each end of the frame. Each cutting assembly includes a cutting drum for engaging a mine wall. As the frame traverses a mine frame, the cutting drums cut material from the mine face. In some embodiments, the material is deposited on a conveyor and carried away from the mine face. The shearer includes a trapping shoe and sprocket that engage a rack to guide the machine with respect to the mine wall. During operation, the trapping shoe wears down, resulting in poor engagement between the sprocket and the rack and reducing machine control.